Found Ammo

Utahar15 · April 18, 2011, 09:28 PM

Questions.

A buddy of mine moved into a house and in the basement he found an ammo can full of 30.06 rounds. We are pretty sure they are reloads all mixed head stamps.

We have no desire of shooting the ammo but was thinking maybe would could used the bullets and maybe some of the brass., but since they are all primed not sure if I want to mess with depriming live primers that I have no idea about.

So assuming we just keep the bullets whats the best way to dispose of the primmed brass?

Robb

Doyle · April 18, 2011, 09:31 PM

If you wanted to reload it yourself, pull the bullets, dump the power (make fine fertilizer), and fire the primers in your rifle.

Sport45 · April 18, 2011, 11:05 PM

I'd pull the bullets, dump the powder (not convinced about its use as fertilizer), then neck size and reuse the bullets and primed brass with a starting load of my powder of choice.

Oh yeah, I'd also run all the primed and neck-sized cases through my case gauge to make sure they weren't too long or short.

Edward429451 · April 19, 2011, 12:07 AM

Not convinced about its use as a fertilizer...

I had a rose bush that was doin really bad. A friends grandpa died, and I wound up with his old powder, about 18 LBS. Some was bad with the reddish tint and bad smell so I dumped about 4 pounds of powder all around that rose bush and set the sprinkler to water it in real good. Where last year I had about 10 red flowers on it, this year I had about 40 and not only were there red blooms, but now there were pink blooms also. Myth Confirmed that plants love nitrogen..

Sport45 · April 19, 2011, 01:13 AM

Plants loving nitrogen isn't a myth. I just wasn't sure about the solubility of the nitrogen found in modern propellants.

If 4 pounds of the stuff didn't burn a rose bush I'm pretty sure it's not very soluble. 4 pounds of a real fertilizer probably would have killed the plant and burnt several feet of vegetation around it.

FrankenMauser · April 19, 2011, 01:31 AM

Smokeless powder is a Haz-Mat item. Using it as fertilizer is not an approved disposal method (controlled burns are the prescribed disposal method). I won't tell you not to do it, but don't get caught. ...And several MSDSs I have looked at, referenced toxicity for fish (should it get into ponds/streams/rivers).

Quote:

So assuming we just keep the bullets whats the best way to dispose of the primmed brass?

So long as you are willing to take a few safety precautions, decapping live primers isn't a major issue. I would recommend some good safety goggles, long sleeved shirt (at a minimum), gloves, and hearing protection. However... I've never had a live primer detonate, while being decapped. I had one go off during seating, but that was a rimfire (and a whole different issue).

If you still don't feel like doing it, I'll dispose of that brass for you.

I think we even live within about 25 miles of each other. If you're hesitant to deal with the live primers, send me PM. We can see about working something out.

limitdown · April 21, 2011, 01:10 AM

I would definitely also de-prime, since you don't know whether the primers used were any good.
With rifle rounds, i would be a bit more cautious because we're dealing with so much more power.

Primers are very easy to buy now compared to 1yr ago so that's not an easy anymore

rude robert · April 21, 2011, 04:42 AM

I like to make designs with the old powder and light it. Make animals or their names and it fun watching their faces as it spells out their names lol

April 18, 2011, 09:28 PM	#1
Utahar15 Member Join Date: March 1, 2011 Posts: 57	Found Ammo Questions. A buddy of mine moved into a house and in the basement he found an ammo can full of 30.06 rounds. We are pretty sure they are reloads all mixed head stamps. We have no desire of shooting the ammo but was thinking maybe would could used the bullets and maybe some of the brass., but since they are all primed not sure if I want to mess with depriming live primers that I have no idea about. So assuming we just keep the bullets whats the best way to dispose of the primmed brass? Robb

April 18, 2011, 11:05 PM	#3
Sport45 Senior Member Join Date: May 25, 1999 Location: Too close to Houston Posts: 4,196	I'd pull the bullets, dump the powder (not convinced about its use as fertilizer), then neck size and reuse the bullets and primed brass with a starting load of my powder of choice. Oh yeah, I'd also run all the primed and neck-sized cases through my case gauge to make sure they weren't too long or short. __________________ Proud member of the NRA and Texas State Rifle Association. Registered and active voter.

April 19, 2011, 01:13 AM	#5
Sport45 Senior Member Join Date: May 25, 1999 Location: Too close to Houston Posts: 4,196	Plants loving nitrogen isn't a myth. I just wasn't sure about the solubility of the nitrogen found in modern propellants. If 4 pounds of the stuff didn't burn a rose bush I'm pretty sure it's not very soluble. 4 pounds of a real fertilizer probably would have killed the plant and burnt several feet of vegetation around it. __________________ Proud member of the NRA and Texas State Rifle Association. Registered and active voter.

April 21, 2011, 01:10 AM	#7
limitdown Member Join Date: January 21, 2010 Posts: 26	I would definitely also de-prime, since you don't know whether the primers used were any good. With rifle rounds, i would be a bit more cautious because we're dealing with so much more power. Primers are very easy to buy now compared to 1yr ago so that's not an easy anymore __________________ Rearmament for World War II got us out of the first Great Depression. What will it take to get us out of this Second Great Depression?

April 18, 2011, 09:31 PM	#2
Doyle Senior Member Join Date: June 20, 2007 Location: Rainbow City, Alabama Posts: 7,167	If you wanted to reload it yourself, pull the bullets, dump the power (make fine fertilizer), and fire the primers in your rifle.

April 19, 2011, 12:07 AM	#4
Edward429451 Junior member Join Date: November 12, 2000 Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado Posts: 9,494	Not convinced about its use as a fertilizer... I had a rose bush that was doin really bad. A friends grandpa died, and I wound up with his old powder, about 18 LBS. Some was bad with the reddish tint and bad smell so I dumped about 4 pounds of powder all around that rose bush and set the sprinkler to water it in real good. Where last year I had about 10 red flowers on it, this year I had about 40 and not only were there red blooms, but now there were pink blooms also. Myth Confirmed that plants love nitrogen..

April 21, 2011, 04:42 AM	#8
rude robert Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 2009 Posts: 116	I like to make designs with the old powder and light it. Make animals or their names and it fun watching their faces as it spells out their names lol